Monday, April 10, 2017

This week’s featured Southwest book is Outlaws & Outcasts: The Lost Cemetery of Las Vegas, New Mexico,
by Ellen S. Rippel:

Outlaws and Outcasts. They lay undisturbed and forgotten for
almost a century--until a backhoe driver digging for gravel made a gruesome
discovery. A hastily-assembled group of students, guided by an intellectually
curious professor, had only one week to document the unearthing of the large,
19th century graveyard. Who was buried in those unmarked graves? What had they
done to be cast out from society?

Filled with stories of early outlaws and fascinating
historical insights, Outlaws and Outcasts chronicles a spellbinding and
little-known saga from New Mexico. For those who love history, archaeology, or
quirky stories from the Land of Enchantment, this book is an intriguing summary
of what occurred in Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1972. Outlaws and Outcasts: The
Lost Cemetery of Las Vegas, New Mexico recounts the accidental unearthing of
graves in a gravel pit. Included in the narrative are examinations of
historical burial practices and customs, and a search through the scarce
literature on events specific to the existence of the cemetery.

A coffin handle, pictured in the book

Review: This is a well-written and enjoyable account of an
unusual piece of New Mexico history. In many ways, it raises more questions
than it answers, as we have no way to know for sure who the dead are or why
they were buried there. But pondering the question is great fun. The lively
anecdotes and fascinating facts about burial practices, archaeology techniques,
and local customs add to the charm. Whether you enjoy Southwest history, spooky
tales, quirky facts, or just good storytelling, this book does the job.
Black-and-white photos of some of the uncovered objects make the stories that
much more real.

Monday, April 3, 2017

This week’s featured Southwest book series is the Pot
Thief Murder Mysteries by J. Michael Orenduff. The series starts
with The Pot Thief Who Studied Pythagoras
and I believe there are now seven books.

I can’t find a website for Michael, but here’s his Amazon page,
and a description of the first book:

“A dealer of ancient Native American pottery, Hubert Schuze
has spent years combing the public lands of New Mexico, digging for artwork
that would otherwise remain buried. According to the US government, Hubie is a
thief—but no act of Congress could stop him from doing what he loves. For
decades, Hubie has worn the title of pot thief proudly. Outright burglary,
though, is another story.

“But an offer of $25,000 to lift a rare pot from a local museum proves too
tempting for Hubie to refuse. When he sees how tightly the relic is guarded, he
changes his mind, but the pot goes missing anyway. Soon a federal agent
suspects that Hubie is the culprit. After things take a turn for the serious,
Hubie knows he must find the real thief quickly, or risk cracking something
more fragile than any pot—his skull.”

These books will introduce you to the Santa Fe art world and
provide insight into archaeology and Southwestern ancient culture, while
capturing the "Wild West" spirit that still permeates so many new
Mexican citizens.

Here’s an interview
with Michael. Peek: “I set my books in New Mexico because I love
writing about the Land of Enchantment. My main character owns a pottery shop in
Old Town Albuquerque where he sells ancient Native American pottery, some of
which he acquires by illegally digging it up.”